It is pointless for me to worry and stress over a situation that I cannot change. Still, the very existence of that situation and the effect it leaves on my daily life causes me to feel the stress. So, what do I do when I’m going through a difficult time? The answer. Go through it. Yes, going through something means that there is a point in time where I will walk out of that problem and hopefully come out stronger and wiser than I was when the problem first darkened my door.
You see, the last two months I have been walking around with a nauseous stomach and pretty much feeling very ill. I’ve pasted on a smile for my family and my co-workers and when they’d ask me how I was doing, I’d respond with a bubbly, “I’m blessed! How are you?” The question was, did I really believe that I was blessed? Apparently not. My faith and trust was under fire and I was allowing emotions of fear, depression, low self worth and even an evil foreboding of doom to enter my thoughts and manifest in my daily life. Examples: I’d get up out of bed three or four times throughout the night to check the lock on my front door. I’d freak out over any twinge of pain and immediately think the worst possible scenario, like having some incurable disease… and the list goes on.
One Sunday morning when I was visiting my parents, my father said to me, “I believe that the reason you haven’t been feeling well these last couple months is because you’re anxious. You need to learn that if you can’t change it, then you need to trust God to get you through it and just be peaceful.” Wow! I just sat there and looked at my wise, 79 year young dad and was amazed how profound his words were and how deeply they penetrated my spirit. He was so right. His words were simple; not at all mind blowing, but in my case, they were life changing.
The constant nausea, the worries of having ulcers and other physical ailments, the fear, depression, evil forebodings; they all stemmed from the fact that I took my eyes off of God’s hand and instead put my eyes on my situation. Yes, I’ve been going through some tough times in my life, a lot of it worrying about the people I love, but that Sunday morning, sitting in my parent’s living room, I needed to be reminded of whose hand I was holding while going through these hard times…Jesus!
It’s been about two weeks since those encouraging words from my dad and today we are in a new year…2015. I have since learned to sincerely cast my cares on the Lord and rest in His Promise to never leave me or forsake me. Yes, it would be easy for Him to remove the problems I’m going through. But how will I grow into a stronger more courages woman? How will I realize and even call upon inner strengths, gifts and talents deep within me if I never go through something? The most important question to me is, “How will I ever realize how much I need Him and how much He truly loves me if I never ever need to hold onto His hand?
There will always be problems my friends. I shared my story here and how I needed to be reminded of my faith in Jesus. I don’t know what you’re going through right now or if you have a belief in God. I do believe that we all need to believe in a power greater than ourselves, just to even have hope. I mean, could you imagine the hopeless feeling of thinking that we are our only savior? So, as I close this article, I pray that it will encourage and truly bless every reader. Whatever the burden, I believe in someone who can carry the weight of that burden and I pray that you consider taking hold of His hand. Please don’t allow your problems to continue to make you ill! Stress is said to be a silent killer. I wasn’t aware of the stress that I was under until I was forced to look at the physical toll it was taking on my body. If you can’t change something (and please know that you CANNOT change another person), give it to God and find some peace and some joy in your life. My joy these days has been sitting at my easel and painting. What are your hobbies? Find an escape that’s healthy and beneficial to YOU. The subtitle of my N.M.V. blog page says, “There’s only one YOU.” and that statement is so, so true! You matter. You’re a Designer’s original. Always find ways to be good to yourself spiritually, emotionally, and physically. It’s not being selfish. Selfish would be just giving up and falling into habits that could destroy you and even the people around you who do love you. It is about rising above life’s circumstances and living a victorious life that you were created to live! So, choose wisely who and what you allow into your life. You will make it through!
Sincerely,
Yoli Fae (N.M.V.)

Now, No More Vanity can become a conversation starter when you wear it proudly. Let people know that you are a Designer’s Original and PROUD OF IT:) SHOP N.M.V. at http://www.cafepress.com/nomorevanity

Well, this morning, I put in 2 miles on the treadmill and burned about 200 calories. I’m really testing my stamina in this summer heat and building up my leg strength, since injuring myself last November. I’m so excited! I’m also playing it smart, drinking lots of water:)

One thing I love about exercise is the mental healing it brings. Whether, I’m walking, running or doing a cardio workout like Turbo Jam or T25, I gain this feeling of power and feel indestructible. I really believe that is where even physical healing begins. You have to believe that you can beat whatever is plaguing your body. Of course, regular exercise and eating healthy foods like grains, fruits, vegetables and lean meats are essential to health and longevity. When you take care of your body you DO feel stronger and that affects your mind, emotions and even your spirit. That is why I exercise:) And it doesn’t matter what size you are! What matters is your health. Remember, women are not all built the same. So, love the way God made you, choose healthy foods and get out there and take a brisk 30 minute walk!

My younger sister and I each have pet peeves that drive one another bonkers. We don’t always agree and sometimes can go a couple days with out talking to each other when life gets demanding. But the one person I know I can always share my heart with without being judged is my sister. She honestly is my Best Friend! When she hurts, I hurt. When she calls me with good news, I’m always excited for her. My sister and I have both struggled with our weight most of our lives. But with age comes wisdom, and after years of crazy crash diets, harmful pills like Phen Phen and poor self esteem, we both have reached a point in our 40’s where we LOVE who we are and how we look. We’ve discovered that our health is paramount to our happiness! So, we keep each other accountable with healthy eating habits and exercise, and yes, we still enjoy our yummy foods like ice cream and chocolates, just in moderation. Today, we had our sister time at Mimi’s Cafe and enjoyed THE BEST onion soup and crab cakes…YUMMMMM!!!

I encourage anyone reading this, who is struggling with liking who you see when you look in the mirror to seek out someone you can truly trust to be your accountability partner. Talk to them about how you’re feeling and choose a small goal you both can achieve together…something that will make you feel good about yourself. Join a 5K, try to kick an unhealthy habit like smoking, commit to walking every evening, etc. The key is to get you out of that ‘victim’ mentality and to give yourself a small attainable goal you can reach with the support of a friend. I am so glad I have my sister:) Remember, it’s not about being skinny, but being healthy! So, who will be your accountability partner? I want to know because I’d love to also cheer you on! Keep me posted:)

I am so excited about the Color Run in July. It’s so wonderful how this organization encourages health and wellness in every city they visit! This will be my first 5k and my friends (Fearless Chix is our group name) and I plan on taking tons of pictures. In preparation for my first 5k I’m walking/running a mile and will slowly work up to three miles. I’m glad this run isn’t timed because I may be doing a lot of walking…lol. Still it will be a blast! As far as nutrition, I’m sticking to fresh fruits, veggies, lean proteins and my favorite bread; 7 Sprouted Grain bread because it’s high in protein. As far as the junk food, well bye bye cookies and chips! Like I always say, “It’s not about being skinny. It’s about being healthy…AND HAPPY:)

I love the concept behind N.M.V.- loving yourself the way God made you and valuing your uniqueness. N.M.V. isn’t about being skinny. It’s about being healthy and fit spiritually, emotionally, and physically. In 2013 my goal is to share N.M.V. with as many people as possible through words of encouragement, helpful resources to aid with fitness goals as well as emotional health, and through video testimonials from those who subscribe to N.M.V. and want to share their triumphs, struggles and just encourage others who may be having a sad day. So, here’s to a new and exciting 2013 for N.M.V.!!!

This was a fun night! My sister hosted a dinner party where she made her Skinny Enchiladas: seasoned, boiled chicken breast rolled into tortillas that were warmed in cast-iron skillet with a bit of olive oil, topped with salsa verde, black olives, and Mexican cheese. So, we ate, talked about our business of sharing good health and fitness with others, and just had a good time:)